A London wedding plan B works only if the room that shelters the party also holds the guest list. Many London venues are hotels, halls and townhouses where the ceremony and dinner are indoors whatever the sky does. The question matters for the venues that offer a garden, courtyard or terrace, and for the couples who want to be outside. This guide sets out what the London venues on 5 Star Weddings say about weather, so you know what to ask before you sign.
How to read a plan B
Compare two numbers for each part of the day: the guests the outdoor space takes, and the guests the fallback takes. If the second is lower than your list, the plan B is a split between rooms, a marquee or a smaller wedding.
Ask too whether the fallback is held for you or shared, whether it costs extra, and who decides on the day and by when. Of the 61 London venues listed, only The Ritz London publishes a part-by-part plan B, and two more, The InterContinental London Park Lane and the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, publish a plan B note. None has published when the weather decision is made.
The weather is worth planning for in every month. At Heathrow, in west London, the Met Office records an average of about 112 days a year with 1mm or more of rain, and between May and September the monthly figure sits between 7.9 and 8.4 days. A summer date is drier than a winter one, not dry.
Venues where the day is indoors
- The Ritz London says the ceremony, the dinner and the dancing are indoors, and that the garden takes a summer reception and the photographs. It also lists an outdoor ceremony setting for couples who want the open air, so ask which one your date uses.
- Sheraton Grand London Park Lane says all its wedding spaces are indoors, so the weather does not change the plan. The Ballroom seats 500 for dinner.
- InterContinental London Park Lane holds the ceremony and reception in its indoor rooms; the Ballroom takes a ceremony of up to 600. Number One Park Lane, the terrace facing the Wellington Arch, is the outdoor option for drinks.
- Kimpton Fitzroy London holds ceremonies indoors, in a Grade II listed ballroom that seats up to 180 for dinner. Palm Court beside it has a winter garden and an outdoor terrace for drinks.
- The Chelsea Harbour Hotel holds ceremonies indoors under an indoor licence, in glass-fronted event spaces that look over the marina.
- St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London has ten event rooms licensed for civil ceremonies, and says the preparations, ceremony, dinner and dancing can all take place under one roof. Hansom Hall, the largest, sits under a glazed roof and takes 280 at a banquet.
Glass roofs, conservatories and covered courtyards
London has an unusual number of venues where the ceiling is glass, so the room is sheltered and still bright.
- The Hurlingham Club: Palm Court is a glasshouse under a barrel-vaulted dome, licensed for civil and religious ceremonies and seating up to 280. The Sunken Garden, licensed for civil ceremonies for up to 150, is the outdoor alternative, so a garden ceremony can move under the dome with room to spare.
- Syon Park: ceremonies are held in the Great Hall, which takes up to 154. Evening receptions move to the Grade I Great Conservatory, which seats 160 or holds 200 standing, from April to September. A marquee is an option on Syon Woods Lawn.
- The Greenhouses: each glasshouse holds one long table beneath pitched glass, for weddings of up to 40. The venue says there is no outdoor ceremony, so there is nothing to move.
- The Wallace Collection: the Courtyard, the former Sculpture Garden, has a glass roof and is set up for a dinner dance of 140, or an afterparty of 300.
- The Lansdowne Club: the landscaped Courtyard has a retractable roof and takes an outdoor ceremony in any season. A ceremony here takes up to 150, and the Ballroom and the Adam Room are the indoor settings.
- The May Fair: the Danziger Suite has a private Atrium with a vaulted glass ceiling, and the May Fair Terrace is an open-air, fully heated courtyard. A ceremony takes up to 180.
Gardens and terraces with a smaller room behind them
These venues publish an outdoor setting and an indoor one, and the figures show where the fallback is smaller.
- Fulham Palace: the open Tudor Courtyard takes ceremonies of up to 180. The Great Hall holds up to 110 and Bishop Sherlock’s Room up to 80, so a larger ceremony needs a conversation.
- Gray’s Inn: The Walks are licensed for outdoor ceremonies in the warmer months, for up to 250. The Hall is licensed for ceremonies and takes up to 176 at long tables. The venue does not say how many a Hall ceremony takes.
- 8½ London: the Inner Courtyard takes up to 180 and the Roof Terrace and Pavilion up to 250. The Great Hall takes up to 180, or 250 with the Outer Hall, but the venue does not say that a ceremony moves there.
- West Lodge Park: civil ceremonies of up to 80 can be held outdoors, and licensed ceremonies also take place in the hotel. The West Lodge Park Suite seats 126.
- Eltham Palace: ceremonies are in the Great Hall for up to 200, and the moated gardens take drinks for up to 300, the same as the hall’s standing capacity.
- Strawberry Hill House: the Gallery is licensed for ceremonies of up to 84, and drinks are served beneath the lime grove. The venue does not publish an indoor alternative for the drinks.
- The Goring: vows can be made in the private garden if the season allows, or in the silk-lined private rooms. A ceremony takes up to 50, and the Garden Room has a sliding glass wall onto the lawn.
- The Bloomsbury has an outdoor ceremony setting, and says Dalloway Terrace has heaters and a retractable roof.
St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel holds both indoor and outdoor licences, and Tudor Barn Eltham offers its courtyard terrace and parkland for drinks and photographs. Neither names a fallback, so ask.
Marquees and the questions to ask
Where the plan B is a marquee, settle three things early: whether it is booked for the date regardless of the forecast, what it costs and who supplies it, and whether it comes with flooring, lighting and heating. At Gray’s Inn a marquee stands in The Walks in June and July for up to 250 seated, with air-cooling and a dance floor. West Lodge Park has one on the lawn for up to 200, Strawberry Hill House can raise one for up to 150, and Fulham Palace serves the wedding breakfast in its marquee, the Great Hall or the state rooms.
- Where does each part of the day move to, and how many does each space take?
- Is the fallback reserved for us, and is there any extra charge?
- Is a marquee included, and is it booked in advance?
- When is the weather decision made, and who makes it?
- Do the photographer and florist know both layouts?
For the cost side, see what a London wedding venue costs and exclusive-use venues in London. If the weekend needs rooms, read where guests stay, then browse all London wedding venues or the London wedding guide. When you have a shortlist, use Check your date on the venue page.
Questions couples ask
Does a glass roof count as a plan B?
For rain, yes: the room is sheltered and bright. Ask about heat and cold as well, and whether the room is shared with other events on the day.
Which part of the day is hardest to move?
Usually the ceremony. Several venues publish an indoor dinner room but a larger outdoor ceremony space, so ask about the ceremony first.
Do London venues publish a wet-weather policy?
Rarely. Only a handful publish any plan B at all, and none states when the decision is made, so get the answer in writing.
Updated 31 October 2026
